₦airaland Forum

The next update should drop either tonight or probably tomorrow, barring unforseen circumstances.
But in the main time I need your help for a little voting exercise.

This writer has been helpful in exchanging creative ideas and giving me tips to improve in aspects like dialogue construction and the rest. For example I never knew the importance of a (comma) in a dialogue tag. Like say: the old man shook his head sadly, "I heard an explosion killed the man and woman," he said, his voice dripping with emotion. Normally I didn't even know of this and so many more things I'm now learning because it was brought to my attention.

Anyway, before this post turns to update
Let me paste the link here.

Hi guys.

I'm a participant in the *Short Story Champions League* and I need your votes to qualify. No sign up needed. Just scroll to the bottom of the page, click on my name and vote. Feel free to read my story, it's of a different kind... � Click the link below:

https://swiftspeededu.com:443/short-story-champions-league-competition-commences-kelechi-odoemelam-vs/

Jesutofunmi Fekoya
Jemma


Please guys vote for the second story, the one about Sherlock Holmes by the second writer, Jesutofunmi. Jah bless you.

dimssy:
Dear Uncle Souloho19,
It is with a great heart that I welcome you back.
Thank you for consciously putting us in mind and updating this wonderful piece.
On behalf of the Readers Association of Nairaland (RAN), thank you so much.
Also, don't forget to give us more updates soonest


Regards,
Dimssy
Cc: queenitee (Vice president, RAN)
Bcc: Mhizgrracie01 (Fellow, RAN)

And I'm grateful for all you readers. It's been a pleasure to share the imaginations coming from this very large head with y'all and I hope it continues

wintersnow:
For your book cover designs

Cool designs bro

Nice update bro. I can't help wondering what Fola went through that made her change to this seductive and conniving girl. Her eyes haff open finish

Cc:
queenitee eberechi24 aminatope247 cadec007 meneski cindy1000 MhisTahrah

Following bro!

Previous post too long, here is the concluding part....


::::::::::::::::
My parents house was a three bedroom bungalow. We were approximately 15 people, plus Sam's driver which made us 16 people.

Sam counted some money and gave his driver "take Junior, find somewhere close by and lodge...but make sure you're back here early in the morning. I have a flight back to Abuja by 9"

My elder sister interrupted him "but honey, I thought we agreed to stay for a couple more days..."

Cynthia was always like lady Morgana to me, she was older than me with a whole decade and unlike Utebo who had been my closest pal from childhood, Cynthia had been almost like another mother figure....at least in the disciplining aspect. She didn't take nonsense and even though she was my sister, I saw her as a bit of a snob, high classed with her nose always in the air. She belonged to the rich and powerful class of society, the wife of a senator who could very well be the president someday and she was fond of looking down on we her siblings.
But she was family. And you know what they say about family, they are like mosquitoes; they annoy you but they carry your blood.

Besides I was caught up with what excuse her husband would come up with.
Sam paid the driver and watched him leave before smiling apologetically at his wife "honey, I got a call...very important earlier today, our party has a very important meeting tomorrow because of the things that have been happening in aso rock recently"

"okay honey, I may stay an extra day or two" Cynthia said, looking round the dining at the small crowd that stared curiously at the husband and wife.

I was studying the senator closely and I saw the alarm light up in his face the moment she declared her intention of staying behind.

He looked like he was ready to object but he caught himself and looked round at us. His eyes settled on mine for a fleeting second then he looked at the driver who was retreating. "errm...Junior, wait let's go together....I have some documents in the car I want to take"

They left the dining, heading outside and my eyes met with Tonye's immediately. Her eyes were dripping with suspicion and I'm sure mine was too. I looked to Kirsten where she sat at the other end of the dining, observing all that had been going on and our eyes also clicked.

Believe you me, Kirsten is one in a million. That girl is a gem to BROTA.
Damn!!!
She read my intentions immediately and stood up, tapping Clyde who had been dozing beside her.
"come on Clyde, I think we better go with the driver so we can get a good place to sleep at the hotel too"

Clyde stood up and stretched tiredly, he looked to me for confirmation and I hurriedly nodded "yeah that's a good idea....you guys need to rest...go quick before Junior leaves"

Tonye added "hey Kirsten, call me if you come across any ant"

"what's an ant?" Paul asked me, he was military intelligence officer but the way of BROTA was not the way of the military. As a matter of fact we made up our own abbreviations and our own code words.

I just shrugged and smiled at him "I don't know, probably something related to fashion I'm sure"

Actually 'ant' was coined from the word 'important' and used in any context, it simply meant 'important info.'

My mother came out from the kitchen "woa, Rex where are your friends?"

"they're going to get somewhere they can sleep comfortably"

"toooh....but won't they eat first? The rice is almost done."

Indeed I could smell her famous delicious jellof rice assaulting our helpless nostrils from the kitchen.

My dad called out from the parlour before I could reply "Martha you worry too much, come and stay with me, have a glass of red wine, it's good for your heart. Let Cynthia and Utebo round up the meal"

My mum hesitated but my sisters insisted and she took off her imaginary apron and went to relax in the parlour, and I noticed how tired she moved.

While Cynthia and Utebo reported to the kitchen, although I obviously knew what would go on in there. Utebo would stand over the fire while Cynthia would sit somewhere and they'd talk and gist.

The kids were since asleep. We had tucked Soma and Emma together in the room with Olivia. They were on the bed and she was still in the hospital bed, which had the intravenous drip attached to it. Utebo was going to join them, while the twin boys were asleep in the other room, Paul and the senator would bunk in there with them. I didn't know how they would do it, although there was an extra mattress in the room, I didn't know who would use it and I honestly didn't care. My mother was going to stay with Cynthia, and maybe Tonye.

As for me and my dad, we had slept in the parlour too many times, it was nothing new.

I used to have a very careless wardrobe with a broken hinge in my room when growing up and the moonlight always used to trickle into the room and reflect the clothes hanging inside, giving it scary shapes in the dark that tricked my eyes with movement. That would always scare me and when it got too hard to shut my eyes and sleep off, I would run to the parlour.
Most times I saw my father stretched on the 3 seater, sleeping off the remnants of what could only be alcohol, judging by the scary snore coming from him. He usually sounded like an animal had escaped from the zoo and sought refuge in our home whenever he snored.
But those troubled nights in my childhood, the scary snore had been like a comforting lullaby, stilling my fears and lulling me to sleep.

But I doubted I could sleep tonight. My mind was in overdrive, overthinking and waiting for Bami to call and drop a bomb from Short Sam about my brother in law.

:::::::::::::::
Kirsten led a yawning and tired Clyde outside and to the car. They saw the driver; Junior outside, waiting patiently with his hands in his pockets.

"hey, we'd like to follow you to the hotel so we can lodge too"

He looked at her and Clyde and nodded

She looked around, searching for the Senator. She had come out hoping to see him do Something, anything that would prove without doubt that he was indeed the man in the picture and affiliated with the shadow. But he was nowhere to be found.

"what are we waiting for?" Clyde asked. He was almost sleeping on his feet. He had been on duty for over 24 hours, standing guard over Olivia during the darkest hour and he was beat.

"my Oga is making a call" junior the driver said patiently. It looked like it was a normal thing, that is, he standing outside while his boss made a call in the car.
Kirsten was about to ask where he was when she saw him. He was in the backseat of the car, she could make out just his silhouette but his hand was glued to his ear, and judging from the short tensed movements, he was having a very important and animated conversation.

:::::::::::::::::
Back in the house, I found that I did not have any appetite. The celebratory mood was still on and my dad and Paul were making good work on the bottle of red wine.
I picked around my food, with a restless spirit, I couldn't shake the feeling that a dark cloud was over us and the celebration was premature. I watched Sam closely through out, trying not to show it but I noticed his mood also wasn't as merry as before and he also didn't drink much and picked about his food. Also he was always the last to laugh at any joke, usually Joining in when everybody else had started laughing.

Before I could drive myself mad with theories and observations, I stood up and went to the room to watch Olivia for a bit. She came awake and we chatted for a while and I kissed her and watched her fall asleep again. The knee reconstruction surgery had been successful and she was going to walk. I took comfort in that, my daughter was on the bed asleep, safe and sound and my wife was not crippled. That was enough reason to be thankful. I mentally forced the dark cloud away and the ray of sunshine that burst through was welcoming and warming to my soul. I dragged the chair close to Olivia and held her hand.
I didn't know when I dozed off.

::::::::::::::::
Utebo tapped me awake hours later and hugged me before I stumbled sleepily out of the room. My father was sprawled on the 3 seater as usual and I folded myself into the 2 seater like so many times in the past. Although I was much taller now and didn't expect it to be comfortable, I was wrong. There was a certain calm assurance in my dad's alcohol induced snore. It had the same lulling effect and within seconds I was asleep.

:::::::::::::
The first minister was the last to sleep. His mind kept on replaying to the message that had entered his phone and prompted him to make the rare call he hardly made to his god. To sir Holly.
He had tried his best but there was nothing that could change sir Holly's mind. The instructions were clear.
He was to give the order to commence the purge.

The purge on The Obasi Family and the purge on BROTA.
It was going to be hard to sleep tonight.



The Morning

::::::::::::::
Andy woke up feeling refreshed and feeling happy. The ceiling looked strange to him and he spent some minutes lost, trying to remember where he was and remember why he was smiling like a fool so early in the morning. Then it came drifting to him.

It had been a long night. A long, long night of passion. He stretched like a cat, fully satisfied and happy. He had been celibate for 2 years but somehow he hadn't disgraced himself. His little soldier had been brave all through the night and he had made the reporter sing like a canary.

He smiled, not bad.

He stretched his hand, expecting to feel the warm, soft flesh he had come to love but the bed was bare. He got out of the bed and looked around for his clothes. He saw his boxers in a corner and wore it hurriedly but he couldn't find his other clothes.

He left the room, walking slowly and unsure of how to approach Helen the journalist when he heard her bustling in the kitchen. She sounded happy. That was a sign of hope.
He tiptoed into the kitchen and there she was, standing over the gas cooker and humming a Sia song about being titanium. She was making French toast and the aroma was wonderful, stirring hunger in his stomach, but she looked even more wonderful, in his oversized t, shirt, moving, full of life and wiggling her small bottom as she sang and flipped the bread over. She stirred a different kind of hunger, a little south of his growling stomach and he crept behind her and grabbed her waist, kissing her neck and she squealed in laughter.

"Oh Andy....i was planning to bring you breakfast in bed"

"there'd be plenty time for that later" he leaned over and switched off the gas "come back to bed"

Helen Koker was a dedicated professional with almost infallible work ethic. She was hardly late to the newsroom even when she was chasing a lead.
But that had been before she met Andy. She sighed with pleasure as he nibbled on her earlobe and allowed him carry her back to the bedroom.


:::::::::::::::
One hour later, after they had showered together and finally had breakfast, Andy watched Helen as she stood on her tiptoe and opened an empty Danish cookie tin. There were some old photographs and some papers and she smiled at him before he could ask
"pictures from my childhood and my report cards, I always planned to show my children important things from my childhood and I've kept this box since my thirteenth birthday. My dad bought be the cookies" she smiled in remembrance

Andy suddenly had the sensation of falling from a thousand stories. It was quite exhilarating and he was almost suddenly out of breath. He just stared at the beautiful woman.

"what" she laughed, a bit embarrassed "why are you staring at me that way?"

He just shook his head and smiled. He wasn't sure he was able to speak at the moment.

She placed a flash drive in the tin and returned it to the top of the shelf.

"I always keep a back up of whatever story I'm working on in here till it comes out in print. It's a kind of superstition of mine....now the story of the hole is backed up in there...I like to think of it as some kind of Goodluck, being among the things I hold most dear"

:::::::::::::::::::
He followed her to her car and watched her while she fumbled with her keys.

"I'd call you today, say by noon" Andy said, smiling with stars in his eyes.

"please do, maybe you'd come over after closing and we'd come home together?" she asked hopefully.

If he had stars in his eyes, she had the whole galaxy in hers.

Andy nodded immediately. "I won't miss it for anything in the world"

She finally opened the door and got in.

He waved her and retreated to where he had parked his car the night before.

"are you not going to kiss me?" the words halted him and he turned immediately with a smile.

He hadn't been as happy as this in a long while. He had never really been living, now all of a sudden, everything was bright and colorful again. Life was worth living.
He approached the car and he was a couple of feet away when she swung her legs out to stand up.

The force field from the blast slammed into him like a shield. The heat was searing, the sound was deafening and the flash was blinding.

:::::::::::::::::
In kirikiri, a frantic Amunike paced round his palace of a prison cell. He had just gotten a message now and he was doomed. The light of his dark life, the one and only true joy he had. The only person he really, really, really loved in the whole wide/wild word had been kidnapped.

Ada had been taken last night and he had less than 48 hours to provide his rascal and bastard son if not she would be on the crime news. The description of what would be done to her had been very vivid and chilling.

Done to his angel, his very own Adaobi.

Blood of God!

His teeth were chattering and his hands were shaking as if he had spent the night in a deep freezer, he grabbed the phone receiver from the wall and dialled a number.

He screamed like a mad man "operator get me Rex Obasi!!"


To be continued

dedicated to
For your patience and sticking with me, you guys are the 'bomb' - >no pun intended

nkemdave do4luv14 Eberechi24 Ann2012 kaycee9242 mitchelljnr Helenbee charminee MhisTahrah Ashiko9 Donkelz ladidacanon cerowo paqman gabi98 preciousbouy IAmKingoludav queenitee silvertrinity jenjvnq Light4life EkopsparoAyara Riele donteanz explosive 0 4 Oluwaseunliz HORLADSTAR WHOcarex Iamjaxx honourable356 Asek1 marycookie93 Silensa ratty03 cylovee Arrestdarrester bigbauer Chizzymaris Iamloyalty Stevodot22


::::::::::::::::::


Between the devil and the deep blue sea. Between the devil of a decision and a deep blue sea of endless, deadly possibilities. This kind of thing could drive a man mad.

I held on to Kristen's phone and continued looking at the picture. Zooming and turning it every angle I could manage. I even turned the phone upside down, all the time trying to convince myself the man dabbing his mouth with the paper napkin was not my brother in law but a doppelganger.

The ambulance hit a pothole and I turned to shout at the driver "hey driver, take it easy now!"

"it's okay sir, your wife is very fine, don't worry" the doctor assured me and I scoffed

"did I say I was worried? He should just drive responsibly, that's my own"

We were heading back home. My in-law had managed to pull some major strings and an ambulance was transporting Olivia as well as one of the doctors from the hospital. I was in the ambulance with them, my mother, sisters and the children were in the senator's jeep limousine coming behind while Clyde, Kirsten and Tonye were in the agency's car. My father and my two brother in laws were in Paul's military issued Peugeot.
It was quite the convoy.

But here I was, I couldn't believe the picture in my hands. A part of me was making excuses: maybe it was just a harmless dinner. It's possible he had no idea who he was dining with, after all there was still a third man on the table. That man could be the real person the shadow had come to see.

But who was I kidding? My in-law Sam was a politician, there was a very high possibility that he had met with the shadow to gift him a contract and put a hit on a fellow political rival. Politics was indeed a dirty game and I had seen enough evidence of that in the red letters at least.

The ambulance bounced into a pot hole again and I swore. But this time the driver apologized immediately

"my bad, this road is just very bad, it's an eyesore really"

"then you slow down at least" I cautioned and he did.

The ambulance reduced speed drastically and I watched Olivia in silence for a long while.

After what felt like eternity, I hit the side button on the device again and the screen sprung to life with the picture. I stared at it, trying to notice any and every little detail.
Something begin to dance around my brain. A realization that was probably fully formed in my subconscious but half formed in reality because I wasn't willing to consider it.

What if Sam hadn't just been meeting with the shadow to offer a contract? What if.....

My phone rang and I gladly dug it out from my pocket.
It was Bami

"yo Rex"

"Bami what's up?"

"nothing much, what's happening over there? How's Olivia?"

"she's fine"

"and everybody?"

"everybody's fine. We're just moving back to the house now"

"oh, Olivia has been discharged? That was quick"

I sighed tiredly "no, no.....she'll continue her recovery at home, it would be better for her and for everyone"

"are you okay Rex, you sound tensed"

I let out a deep breath and pressed my eyes with my fingers "it's probably just the stress of the past few days, I haven't really rested since"

"yea, I just woke up myself, I had a very long sleep. Are you with Tonye? I tried calling her but it didn't go through"

"no she's in another car with Clyde and Kirsten"

"okay, tell her to call me later. And remember, try and rest once you get the chance, you shouldn't be overstressing yourself anymore"

"OK"

"okay, bye"

"wait... Bami wait...."

For a second I thought he had already ended the call but his voice came back over the line
"what is it?"

"errm... I want you to help me reach Short Sam to run a background check on someone"

"okay, lemme grab my pen"

I heard a shuffling sound in the background and the click of what had to be a pen then he said "alright shoot, I'm listening"

"errm...his name is..." my mouth was suddenly heavy. I looked at the doctor, he didn't seem to be paying me any attention, I cranned my neck. The driver was also fully focused on the road.
But still.....

"you know what, I can't pronounce the name....I'll text it to you right now"

"okay, I'd be expecting it"

After the call, I located his number and entered a new text message

Re:
Get S.s to run a thorough background check on this name. Any flag that pops up I want to know immediately.
Samson Igyevure

I hit send.
I shut my eyes deep in thought, if there was anything to be found, I was sure Short Sam was going to find it.

My phone vibrated immediately and I checked the message notification.

It was from Bami: isn't that your brother in law?

I sighed and replied: yes

I thought of unlocking Kristen's device to continue checking out the picture but I didn't. The picture was already engraved in my mind. So instead, I shut my eyes and scrutinized the two smiling girls, the food spread before them on the table, then the three men on the table behind. The man with the side view was no doubt my brother in law, there was no two ways about it, but who was the third man then? Sir Holly?

That subconscious suggestion had somehow managed to sneak the possibility I had been trying soo hard to dodge; If the third man was sir Holly then he had to be his right hand man, the first minister.

::::::::::::::::::::::
The first thing Ada noticed when she got to the house was the darkness. The electricity was out. Even the street lights were out also. "That's strange, there seems to be a power outage" she muttered as Bright turned into the street.

The headlight of the Benz illuminated the pick up truck parked in front of the open gate with the inscription; Ikeja Electricity Company.

"oh....i think it's a fault, the nepa people are here already"

Her boyfriend parked behind the truck and they got down.

"why is the gate wide open?" she wondered to herself
"Mathias!" she called out for the gate man as she entered the compound slowly.

"honey, why don't we come back in the morning" Bright said from behind her

"oh come on baby, this is my brother's place" she held out her hand for him and he didn't have any choice but to take her hand and follow her in.

"something is not right....he has some nasty dogs and normally they'd be going crazy in their cages by now"
She entered the compound with her boyfriend behind her calling for the gate man "Mathias....Mathias..."

Mathias was a known dunk and her father had fired him two years ago after he had goofed and let Rex into the house and Rex had stripped him off his uniform and pretended to be him. But Emenike liked the man, mostly because the both of them were drug addicts and he needed a partner in crime to practice his narcotic vices with.

Now she peered into the small circular window on the side of his quarters.

"you said your brother has dogs?" Bright asked. He had come to stand in front of her, in a kind of protective gesture, but he observed the dark house with uncertainty. She thought it was sweet.

"yes...as in real killer dogs, that's why I want to get the gate man... He knows how to handle them...but everywhere is too dark.

She peered into the window again, squinting but she couldn't see anything.
She brought out her phone and selected the flash light app. She swiped the button and the powerful beam blasted from the camera flash at once.
She directed it to the window and gave a short scream. The phone fell from her hand and bounced like a health5 ball pumped to its limit.

Powerful arms where holding her. Bridge was trying to comfort her, amidst his confusion, asking what was wrong but she kept screaming. Shutting her eyes in an endeavor to erase the horrific image from her memory, but it was impossible.

Bridge picked up her phone, and checked out the window himself. "Jesus!" he shouted, and in his haste to quickly get the light away from the horror, the phone fell again, and the light went out.

The screen was no doubt broken.

But that wasn't even the case.

Mathias' face had been carved open. A kind of perforation had been made on both his cheek bones and a hole had been drilled in either side of his face.
That wasn't all, he had his tongue out, stuck in between his teeth, somehow like one would do when trying to mimic a dead person, with the head lolled to the side and the tongue hanging out.
But he wasn't mimicking anything, he was dead. His eyes were missing....
They say the eyes are the windows to the soul and Mathias was definitely soulless, because his eyes were empty....as dark as the room he was in. It was like the eyes had been blown out.
If anyone has ever noticed the fuse in a socket blow out, the spark would most times leave behind a kind of black electrical soot, staining the white plastic base around the port. That was how Mathias's eyes were.

He had the black soot round his eye like an inexperienced make up artist had run riot with an eye shadow.
His hair which was usually an unkempt afro was standing on end, like the fur if a frightened cat.

Hmmmmmm....

With the absence of the eye, it was impossible to get any emotion or lack of emotion for that matter but it looked like Mathias had been 'shocked' to death.

Ada was still screaming hysterically, in her own state of shock.
Bridge was the one to finally grab her hand and pull her out of the compound. He was also in a state of shock. But fear overpowered all emotion.

"we need to get out of here" he shouted and when her legs seemed to turn to cement, he carried her and ran out of the house.

Bridge was a tough guy. A body builder, 6 foot 3 inches, well ripped with well toned biceps and abs that a toddler could use in learning to count.

At least 1-8

He balanced the screaming Ada on his shoulder and fished out the car keys from his pockets and hit the unlock button. The car blinked in reply. He opened the door and half threw Ada inside the passenger seat and half placed her inside gently.

His mistake was in the gentleness.

He placed half of his upper body inside his low car to place his screaming and sobbing, traumatized and terrified girlfriend on the seat properly but before he could come out fully he sensed a movement from the corner of his eye. He swiveled on his heels immediately, prepared to throw a three punch, one duck two punch combination with mean dexterity but the electric volt shot through his body from his lower abdomen, causing his body to go stiff like a statue immediately and sending him to the floor as he made a gagging noise from his throat and vibrated in a manner most electric boogie dancers would envy.

The tazer continued releasing bursts of raw electricity to his body as his assailant took a knee and continued the torture. Then a second man was there, he said one word "enough" and the tazer stopped. The 'shocker' stood up and Bridge continued to squirm and vibrate like a worm that came in contact with salt as his teeth vibrated and clattered together.

His attackers didn't even give him the chance to come out of the shock, a Beretta was whipped out and two bullets were fired into his face from point blank rage.

"we should have used the hand drill.... That'd be a bonus" the man with the tazer said

"no need....one hole is enough already...or should I say two...." both men laughed at their evil humour and the white electricity truck ahead came to life and the engine was revved.

A second man stuck his head through the passenger window "yo, this area is quite high class, let's get out of here before the cops show!"

The two assailants standing over the body, looked at the dark house in regret and anger. They hadn't gotten what they came for. The bastard had run away, just moments before they came and the stupid gate man didn't even know anything, although he was too stoned to even know what was happening on earth. Still they had turtured him till his response to stimulus became sensitive again, but they didn't have any location on where Emenike would be.

They had failed their mission.

Or had they......?

They both looked at the dead body, looked at each other and slowly looked at the girl in the car.

A lot of 'shocking' had gone on that night and Ada was the latest victim. Although she hadn't come in contact with any raw electricity, raw volts of unbelief, denial, horror and heartbreak were surging through her, as she sat, staring out the window and vibrating from the chill that followed after her lover was murdered in cold blood. Right before her very eyes.

She kept looking at his dead body, her eyes filled with inexpressible horror.

When both men looked at her, the current became too much suddenly. She opened her mouth and let out the deadliest of screams, with a very high current indeed.

EbonyQueen001:
I am here o
Sorry, I am just responding months after the mention, I was busy. I gave birth few months back and I am still trying to adjust to motherhood.

I will read up and comment later.

Thanks for the mention dear.

Wow!
This is really good news, congratulations. God bless your home!

marycookie93:
I must commend u,av been a ghost reader ryt from d devil wear okrika... well done bro.may d Lord increase u more in knowledge

Thank you for commenting. I appreciate greatly

Eberechi24:
Soul, where are you?
Are you ok?
If hustle dey pay, remember your fans o

Silensa:
Oga Soulo abeg forget about the certificate even if nah tissue you present, we will vote u only plz come and update.
if it is because of Rex and his wife, just do with the as u wish. am no longer interested in Rex death.

do4luv14:
hahahahahaha , guy chop knuckle, oyel dey ya head gbam!!!,

oya the search is on oga SOULOHO wia ar tha

My people, sorry for the silence. I can assure you that the updates would come at a quicker rate from this week.
Eberechi you guys are fam na, it's not possible

Silver1996:
u very much welcome....


feel free to comment....


if i nor see ya comment... thank Gawd... many people dey wen we go call for you..... Skubido who u recommend.... philip or infamaccumuno.........?..


just kidding bro... once again welcome.. it's nice having you here... so much respect for you

Don't worry bro I'm pitching my tent here and once I catch up you'll even get tired of my commentary

Remain blessed bro, more inspiration to you!

showgoeson:
Come out and see story when make too much brain
Dont be discouraged because he has gone far, just take your time and read from the beginning, i swear you will silivate for more, even thank me later


The story toooooooo make brain, i just gat to help you invite people

Thanks for the invite bro

Cc
Meneski nastynic cyber5 cyberrex dview001 cadec007 EkopsparoAyara eberechi24.....

HelenBee:
Souloho19 take your time man,just that you'll bribe us with a lengthy update. Taink you!

I've dropped the bribe

Dedicated to

Kaycee9242 faspen jenkvng bimberry1307 KpakoGIN gabi98 diss Evold IAmkingoludav Ann2012 Eberechi24 heemah mitchelljnr mekonglobal igyeseh cerowo pweetygiftofGod queenitee qyeenbetsy explosive04 samwobi Phoenixchap Riele EkopsparoAyara Teehsticckz Opeade939 stevodot22 honourable356 arrestdarrester okeyben10 asek1 preciousbouy paulohgirlie paafin abiderx WHOcarex Oluwaseunliz nkemdace Donkelz Marianlsy rowdymind Donteanz cylovee MhisTahrah Helenbee charminee silvertrinity..

:::::::::::::::

Bigelow found the young widow sitting on the steps and staring at his brother's door, although the distant look in her eyes convinced him she hadn't really been looking at the door.

He climbed the stairs slowly, feeling the fatigue drain away to be replaced by a fresh feeling of pain. Pain for this pretty woman and pain for his brother, pain because they had both been robbed off a second chance at love.
She didn't turn her head to look at him until he was at the top of the stairs, then he noticed she was crying and he also noticed the little boy at her side who also had wet eyes.
It had to be the infamous Arinze, the young boy who would always ring his brother's bell and run away.

They had been Tom's family. His brother had spoken about the widow and her son with deep emotion and he had been taken from them, killed!
Ryan Bigelow had been consumed with guilt and grief and anger but now that he had killed the shadow, the fact remained that his brother was still dead. And it was still his fault.

Noiselessly he sat on the stairs, a step lower and joined mother and child in staring yet not staring at the door.
After a while he felt a weight on his Shoulder and was shocked to see Arinze, the serial bell ringer lean on his shoulder. Despite the young boy's pranks, he had loved his brother and despite Tom's threats he had clearly had an affection for the young lad.

Bigelow gently patted the boy's head, offering the little comfort he could give, then he felt another weight on his other shoulder. The young widow who always baked cookies for his brother and had no doubt been romantically involved with him also rested her head on his shoulder. At the moment he was the anchor they badly needed and vice versa, because although he had managed to function normally since his brother's death, he had been floating around aimlessly ever since fulfilling his revenge which had been his life's purpose since the moment he knelt over his dying brother. But now, now at least he felt a little gravitational pull towards earth.

:::::::::::::
I scratched my head and considered the suggestion my brother in law had just made. It all started when the sun disappeared and night began to show its intention of showing up. There was no way I was leaving Olivia's side and I also knew Emma would go into a fit if she woke up and did not see her mother but she also couldn't stay in the hospital.

Also my mother, sisters, nephews and niece all didn't look happy about leaving Olivia.

"but we can't all stay in the hospital now" I objected weakly. The truth was, seeing my family members in hospitals always stirred memories from two years ago, when we were practically jumping from hotel to hotel and hospital to hospital. With either, me or Andy in the sick bed. Talk about delayed diagnosis indeed.

But then Sam made a suggestion; "why don't we have her moved to the house. I can get the best doctor around and all the equipments needed to complete her medication. She will also be more comfortable and recuperate better"

We deliberated on it for a while, all the women were definitely for the motion and even my father and Paul were in support. It seems I was the only one having second thoughts but I was actually thinking of the house and the psycholoical effect it will have on Olivia, if any.
And the major weight of the decision rested on my shoulders. I mean come on, this was my wife we were talking about here. I didn't joke with my wife.
But my philosophy had always been family. And I knew that now more than ever we all needed to be with each other. Not just Olivia but the little children. They had gone through a lot and they really needed to see and believe that the storm was over and things were back to normal.
So I nodded "it sounds like a good idea.."

"good, let me go make arrangements with the doctor." Sam headed for the door

"I'll come with you" my dad announced and jumped up from where he had been dozing off in the corner. As usual he had drank more than one beer downstairs and probably needed to shake off the lingering effects via motion.

"honey I think we should start preparing then" Paul said to his wife and he and Utebo carried their children who had fallen asleep on the second bed to the car downstairs.
"let me help" Cynthia offered and she carried little Soma while the parents carried the twins.

I watched them leave then smiled at my mother who smiled back at me "everything is okay Rex" she assured me as she looked lovingly at Emma who was cradled in her arms deep in dreamland.

I nodded then turned my attention to my wife. She was asleep now and I can't tell you how happy I felt to see the peaceful look and faint smile on her lips. I promised myself that never again. Never again would she have to pass through that kind of pain. I was going to make -
"Rex, a word?"
I turned to see Tonye and Kirsten standing, looking at me with unreadable expressions. Kirsten looked tired. I mean if the bags under her eyes got checked in at the airport, it would probably be over the required weight.

"sure" I followed them out of the room, thinking about the bonus package Buzz and Kirsten were going to be awarded with. I had a generous soul and they were going to feel the brunt of it.

We got to the hallway and I looked from one woman to the other "what's up?"

Tonye looked at Kirsten. It seemed her assistant had been the one to request the meeting "go ahead Kirsten, what is it?"

The young woman needed no further prodding "well sir, your friend Sam was able to get a face recognition software to me last week when I started compiling the report and it brought thousands of hits where the real shadow had previously been sighted, some were smoke, others were look alikes while some were genuine."

She handed me her phone. "This particular picture was uploaded on Instagram on the 16th of July last year by a woman named Donnia Makelele, user name Doniatherealbaddest. Her picture came up because of the background..." she pointed with her finger and I observed the photograph.

Two young women were in what had to be a restaurant, plates of mouthwatering delicacies were spread out on the table and both ladies smiled at the camera. I could see a young man beside one of them although his body had been cropped out and I guessed they were on a double date and the second guy was the one who took the picture. The girls looked alike and were probably sisters. It reminded me of the double dates me and Fome used to have with Andy and Mona. I shook my head and followed Kristen's fingers as she pointed to the background.
Three men sat at a table behind the smiling sisters. A three seat table, meaning one was facing the camera albeit unknowingly, one was backing the camera while the third offered only his side view.
The man facing the camera had been about drinking from a bottle of water the moment the camera shuttle had clicked, freezing his movements in pixels and forever storing it in the abyss that was cyber space but it was very clear he was the one the facial recognition software had latched on to. From his bald head to his large ears, this was clearly the shadow, either Taiye or Kehinde, shadow or real shadow, which ever one, he was definitely one of them.
But Kristen's index finger was on the second man, the one with the side view. He had been dabbing his mouth with a paper napkin so even the side profile was incomplete but still, I could see the reason Kirsten had called me out.
He had an uncanny resemblance to my brother in law.

::::::::::::::

Ever since the death or murder of Fidel MacGyver aka counselor Mark or The Counselor, Fikkayo Flacko had been responsible for filtering orders from the first minister to the unlimited resource of foot soldiers and henchmen. The orders no doubt came from Sir Holly himself. Sir Holly was revered. He was a wise sage, a man so powerful, his influence almost seemed divine. He was the god of every member of the hole. Whatever he said was final.
Flacko had put the team together after he had contacted big foot for the big bang mission. The Hole had been stung and everyone was definitely going to pay with their lives. Especially the useless Rex Obasi and his band of miscreants. Flacko idly wondered what the first minister was going to do when Sir Holly gave the order which he was definitely going to do. There was no double standard, anyone with any affiliation to the Obasi name or the BROTA agency, either by blood, marriage or whatever else was going to be wiped out the face of the earth. However sir Holly was yet to give the order but when he did, the first minister was definitely going to comply. There was no two ways about it. Maybe only his wife and son would be safe from the purge (that was the code name of the yet to be launched operation) and even that would only be because of the affection Sir Holly had for the first minister. But then again Sir Holly could be ruthless..
Well, whatever happened the purge wasn't happening tonight. Tonight was for operations 'big bang' and 'bring the light.'

Flacko squinted at his phone as he read the instructions he had typed. Satisfied he hit send.

:::::::::::::::::
Emenike may not have inherited his father's devious intelligence or the fierce will to build, maintain and expand a drug, arms and human trafficking ring for more than two decades but he was still his father's son after all.
The moment he ended the call and received his instructions, he breezed through the house, carrying just a bag with a few clothes. With shaky hands he keyed in the four digit combination in the wall safe in his room and selected two wads of hundred dollar bills then he went through his half a dozen passports and finally made his selection.
Right now his name was Ovakpor Oyidikambe.
He grabbed his bag and his phone, the contact he was to reach for his visa to Mexico was in the phone. He ran outside to his car, past his dogs as they barked in their cages for his attention. He didn't have their time. He was in a race to stay alive.

He hadn't really understood the depth of the hole and to be honest might never had learnt about it if it hadn't been for the faithful night his father had instructed him to get the red letters safely out of the house when the smell of gas had become too strong to be ignored. After the explosion, in the safety of the government owned SUV, his father had only taken one look at the tampered envelope and looked at him.

Emenike's curiosity had revealed things he had no business knowing, to him.

When his father got locked up after the initiative fiasco, he had handed the key to him with the instruction that only he (the chief) could ever give the order to move the letters or hand it to anybody. Emenike had bypassed that order two nights ago and given the key to Rex Obasi. Now he had to get out of the country or he was a dead man.
And although Emenike's life might not be much, he still had a lot of drugs, booze and women to live for.

:::::::::::::::
Bridge was a fitness trainer. She had met him two months ago in the gym and they had hit it off immediately. He was well over 6 feet, ridiculously fit and ridiculously cute as well. He had the most dreamy eyes and she loved looking into them. Even now as they sat in the car she looked into his eyes and smiled. The last time she had felt like this, Rex Obasi had cut the feelings at the bud before it could blossom to anything deeper, then he had gone ahead to turn her life upside down and get her parents locked up.

She didn't necessarily begrudge him for that, she was still appalled by the crimes her parents had committed. What she did begrudge him for however was the fact that he had turned her down and used her as a chess move that faithful night, almost getting her killed in the process.

But all that was gone. Bridge, like his name implied had bridged whatever crack her heart had suffered. It was all water under the bridge now.
She learned in and kissed him as he started the car. "I enjoyed dinner very much, thank you"

He smiled and looked at her slyly "I'm still hungry, there's something else I'll like to eat if you know what I mean" he winked at her and she blushed as the anticipation shot through her however she said "there's plenty of time for that later, let's stop by my brother's house. No more excuses I think it's time you two met since we're getting really serious"

Bridge scratched his head in thought "babe, today? Let's make it tomorrow"

"no now...that's what you've been saying for the past two weeks, why don't you want to meet my family? Am I not important to you?"

"of course you are...okay let's go, I love you"

She beamed at him "I love you too"

Two years ago, thinking she was heading for a tryst, Ada had been at the wrong place at the wrong time.
And now history was about to repeat itself.

:::::::::::::::
Operation `bring the light' consisted of four men, all in the dark blue jumpsuit of the electrical company of Nigeria.

Their mode of operation for tonight was to gain entry into the compound, either through the ruse that the meter from the office indicated a faulty wire leading to false readings which was too dangerous they had to correct it immediately. It didn't matter that it was almost 8pm. And if it came down to it, force would be applied to gain entrance to the house because the men were hardened murderers. Whatever happened, Emenike's body was going to be discovered in his jacuzzi, with a naked wire enjoying the bubbles with him. He was going to be fried.
Up nepa!
Operation bring the light.


::::::::::::::
Andy and Helen completely lost track of the time. They spent hours spread on the floor with papers scattered about, two laptops connected to the internet with an engaged Google search box on every tab that was open. And they were a lot of open tabs.

They talked as they worked, at first about each other, their past lives and experiences, then about the hole and the numerous activities that had happened in the past which had left people shocked at one point or another and even made them wonder the kind of country they were living in.

And now to find out everything had been plotted and influenced by a small group of people who were so powerful that they were invisible to the law.

"this is a life changing article" Koker looked at him and stretched "why me?"

They were sitting on the floor, surrounded by the papers. 90% of the research had been finished. What remained now was the body of the article itself which was going to link everything together. Koker had said the word count was going to be so much, it would probably take up half the newspaper.

He looked at her and smiled "you once wrote a very mean article about our agency. Rex never threw the paper away, I think he read it and reread it so many times that your name from the byline was stuck in his head"

"ouch" she laughed a little nervously "it was that bad wasn't it?"

Andy nodded and smiled "really."

"I knew it was bad journalism but a part of me just wanted to get back at you guys for refusing to so much as give me a statement or an interview eveeytime I called." She looked at him "talk about unprofessionalism."

He laughed "don't beat yourself up about it, I'm actually glad you wrote it, at least it brought me to you"

she smiled "but there are thousands of other journalists you would have met if I hadn't written that...."

"that's not what I meant" Andy said softly

She looked at him and their gaze held. Something flickered in her eyes and Andy decided to go for it. He leaned in for the kill but she drew back before their lips could meet.

"what...what are you doing?"

Andy blinked. He had actually closed his eyes. He felt greatly embarrassed and he struggled to his feet, a mass of jittery, awkward nerves "errm...I'm sorry, maybe it's just being so close to you and looking at the computer screen for so long that got my brain fuzzy. I better get going..."

She laughed and his embarrassment grew. He hardly tried to hit on women because he was hardly successful. Mona had been a rare success and he had never intended to search for someone else but life had dealt him the harshest cards.

But then Helen Koker held his hand and stopped laughing. She smiled instead and tugged his hand so he could help her up.
"you're cute. Why don't you stay for dinner? I can whip up spaghetti really fast.."

"ermm....maybe another..." his eyes widened as she put her index finger to his lips
"shhhh...i won't take no for an answer"

Andy didn't know how it happened. One minute he was staring into the most vibrant eyes he had ever seen, the next he was kissing the softest lips ever and the next they were sinking to the ground, peeling their clothes the way an impatient child peels the wrapper off candy.


And outside, under the car the red light continued to blink.

To be continued...

My people, thanks for your patience. Jah bless
Donkelz I sight you, thanks brother.
Aminatope247 longest time, leave your shell for a little while and say hello

dedicated to
Riele IamKingoludav Ann2012 Eberechi24 favouritetega ladysunshine toyean1507 phoenixchap mitchelljnr igyeseh mekonglobal Silensa cerowo stevodot22 Chisiudeh shekinah190 kaycee9242 rchilee mimilight arrestdarrester iamloyalty excelmerry Evold dview001 pToretto rayvelez raingirl coolie10 MhisTahrah explosive04 Helenbee WHOcarex princessadeola crazy oluwaseunliz queenitee cylovee Boffinjay rapfrick okeyben10 EkopsparoAyara khennykhay pinkfeet Honeydawealth charminee ifemism02 paafin KpakoGIN rowdymind...



:::::::::::::::

We left the women in the room crooning over Emma and went downstairs to the car park. Clyde was grateful to finally be out of the hospital and I couldn't begrudge him for wanting a breath of fresh air. I was genuinely grateful with him for sticking by Olivia and guarding her room in the darkest hour. He was a good agent and I made up my mind he was going to get a big raise. He certainly deserved it. He got into the car and settled with Cynthia's driver and before long I could see him dozing off.

"so Rex what are the steps you've taken to bring the criminal to justice?" major Paul asked me as we hung round Cynthia's car. I didn't even know the make of the car, it looked like a limo (in length) and at the same time looked like a range (in height). There was definitely money in politics.

The major handed me a canned beer but I shook my head. I was still very much high on the euphoria that came with reuniting my wife and daughter. Adding a can of beer to that might just be too much too soon.

Gone are the days when I used to cancel bottles of ammunition like it was water. Now I was strictly a social drinker and to be honest I still hardly drank. Maybe cause I was drunk in love. Olivia no doubt had locked up my heart and thrown the keys away. I couldn't imagine-

"come on boy.... Don't tell me you still do this your nonsense" my dad's impatient voice dragged me back to the here and now and I blinked "what....what nonsense?"

"this your spacing out of conversations every time" he said crossly

Maybe if I was white I would have blushed. But my skin was too black for that so I just smiled, a little embarrassed and looked at my in-law "sorry you said...."

"this kidnapper.... What plans are you making to ensure he's brought to justice?"

"actually it's a woman"

"a woman!" Cynthia's husband was shocked

"yes....apparently she blames me for the death of........of her....errm....girlfriend and wanted to hurt me but still wanted to force me to kill some people...." I trailed off. That was still sensitive information and even though this was family, I couldn't afford to burden any of them with the weight of the truth. Not yet anyway. At least very soon it will be in print, in millions of newspapers countrywide. But till then....

But I had already stirred their curiosity. Cynthia's husband who had forced me to call him just 'Sam' even though he was almost 20 years older looked at me with interest "to kill?" he said "kill who.... Which people?"

"I know right! It seems ever since that widows initiative affair everybody thinks I'm some kind of deadly assassin" I was an expert when it came to dodging questions and I totally ignored the 'which people' part he asked.

"just imagine....and to think that she drugged everyone...even the little kids" Paul shook his head and shuddered. I knew what he was thinking; what if his three little children had been overdosed and continued sleeping into oblivion....?

The thought alone made me shudder and I found myself stretching out for the beer he had offered earlier.

"do you have any leads on this woman...? such a dangerous woman can not be allowed to go free" Sam said worriedly

I agreed totally "she won't....the priority right now is family and safety but I assure you BROTA will not rest until she is brought to book"

"but I still can't understand this woman....she didn't ask for money or anything....i mean one would think she was after part of that million dollar grant the government awarded to you guys two years ago to catch that assassin fellow"

I shook my head "nope. She wasn't after any money at all...although I must admit what she was after led us to some kind of crazy discovery"

"what discovery?" Paul asked

"let's just say a lot of oppression has been going on in this country" I replied

"like what....at least give us a hint..we're family, come on!" Sam urged

"don't worry senator, we'll be reading about it soon" my dad said and gave me a conspiratorial wink. I could tell he felt like some kind of spy privileged to have Intel others didn't and I had to smile even though I wasn't comfortable with the 'reading' reference he had made.
We talked about it some more then talked about our women upstairs in the hospital. Paul joked on how Utebo had called him at his barracks crying frantically and telling him Emma had been found "at that point I was confused, cause I didn't even know she had been taken in the first place!" we all laughed in good faith, thankful that every one was safe.

"in my own case I was dressing up for an interview with soul fm. God knows they have been calling me for the past one month and today was finally the day we had fixed. Only for Cynthia to rush into the room and tell me we needed to fly down here.... I had to call the oap and reschedule and believe me he was really upset....but like Rex would say, family first" we all laughed some more then Sam brought out his phone "excuse me, I have to make a call"

He walked a little distance away and we watched him in amusement
"politicians" my dad said with a jovial shake of the head "wasn't he the one talking about family just now but he can't make a call in front of family"
We laughed some more. It was good to laugh again so freely.

I turned around and tapped the bonnet of the car and Clyde opened the door. "sir?"

"my good man, I can see you're dozing in there...take a rest, go lodge somewhere and sleep well...charge it all on the agency.... I'll get Jimoh to book you a flight back to Lagos latest by tomorrow"

"no problem boss, but I still think I'll wait a while" he said and I nodded. Unlike Buzz this young man was loyal. And like Don Corleone would say; loyalty was everything.

Sam returned and smiled "where were we....ehen this discovery the kidnapper led you too...."

My dad interrupted him "my boy..." (to my dad, as long as you were his son in law, you were his boy, even if you were the president) "forget that one.....what is happening to your club lately"

"honestly sir the matter just weak me down to my soul...now adays I prefer watching paint dry than to watch them play" he said with feigned sadness

"hahaha, at least last season was draw soup, this season you people have lost appetite completely" Paul said and we all burst into laughter.

(I know I don't have to mention the club in question..... It should be very clear already )

::::::::
"honey we really should let you sleep...all this noise would give you a headache" Cynthia said to Olivia

"ah....nooo....i need the noise please, the past three days have been painfully quiet for me....and I'm tired of sleeping, honestly" Olivia smiled.

The nurse had been able to adjust the bed so she was in a semi sitting position. Emma was cradled in her arms and fast asleep with a priceless smile on her lips.

"so the lady that attacked isn't Rex's ex?" she asked Tonye

"no.... It turns out she was the ex to the ex" Tonye replied, thinking that was the most tentative way she could put it.

"wait a minute, Tonye..... Fome was..... She was a......i mean she did..... Wasn't she..... Do you mean....." Martha Obasi could frame her thoughts in a thousand ways and the complete sentence still wouldn't find its way past her lips. She was old fashioned like her husband and such things were a taboo and almost unthinkable.
"these are end times indeed" she muttered to herself and drew the sign of the cross. Despite herself Olivia smiled. She just loved her mother in law so, so much.

They watched the twin boys and Soma fiddle with their father's phone which he had courageously left with them, after setting up an animated video for them to watch and locking the touch screen.

A comfortable silence settled in the room as Olivia gazed lovingly at her niece and nephews and at her daughter in her hands, Martha gazed into space, no doubt thinking about the sexual orientation of her son's ex fiance. Kirsten was in her corner buried into her phone with earplugs on. But she was actually buried deep into the report she had first compiled for Tonye about everything concerning the shadow. Something had struck her memory, she was almost certain she was wrong but just maybe she wasn't. She had to dig through the 400+ pages of her research but she couldn't deny the feeling there was something familiar with one of Rex's brother in law although if was probably a false alarm..
Utebo on the other hand was at the window looking out.
"men!" she exclaimed suddenly
"what what is it?" Olivia asked
"Utee what happened?" her mother asked
"look at them downstairs drinking beer and laughing" she said with a half laugh
Tonye laughed "my sister....when they're sad they drink, when they're happy they drink, angry they drink, bored and excited they still drink!"
The women had their own laugh at the men's expense.

:::::::::::::
Prison is a place that truly reforms lives, and if it doesn't reform you, at least it would change a couple of things about you. Case en point; hard thugs and tough goons who previously were all about violence and women went to prison and became engrossed in literature and lost themselves in books they wouldn't have ever been caught dead reading previously when freedom was theirs. But incarceration makes one to appreciate the little things in life. And any form of curricula activity in the pen is fully grabbed because it offers some kind of release from the painful reality of prisoned life and at the same time keeps the soul of the prisoner grounded so he doesn't loose touch with reality.

For chief Amunike he had found a favourite past time in watching reality shows. He was successfully keeping up with the Kardashians, following love and hip hop back to back and a host of others. He loved it. And to think in his former life his 70 inch television only alternated between aljazeera and Supersport..

He was currently stretched back on the recliner watching an episode of his favourite 'Bachelorette' show with a half empty bottle of jack Daniel's at his side when his phone rang. "this Ellen of a girl is a fool, I just know she's going to choose Tobias...his six packs have blinded her eye....yeye dey smell" he laughed to himself as he watched a pretty lady on the screen struggle to make a choice out of three equally good looking young men. The phone rang again and he sneered. He grudgingly got up and snatched the phone from the wall receiver "what?"
"sir you have a call from your son.... He says it's very-"
"patch him through" he snapped
Two seconds later Emenike's voice came over the line. "hello dad"
"what is it son....you know I always tell you not to call here carelessly... I'm very busy"
"dad.....i.... I bleeped up dad..."

All this while chief Amunike had one eye glued to the TV screen, now he grabbed the remote and switched it off "what have you done?"

"the key..... Rex Obasi came for it.... He was going to kill me...."
"wait, hold up.... Which key?"
"the....the one to the red letters"
"are you MAD! Do you know what you've done?"
"he was going to kill me...."
"then you die....its better than what they would do to you if-"
"Adaobi was around.... I just had to act fast....everything happened so fast"

His daughter's name was like a tranquilizer dart. He lost his steam immediately. He pressed his eyes tiredly "oh God....this is not happening....look here you stupid weakling.....listen up real good, if you want to live....the only hope for you is to leave this country fast..... I have a contact in the embassy that can get you papers to Mexico... You go there and lay fucking low....the hole doesn't play games.... Are you hearing me? "


:::::::::::::::
Helen Koker lived in the last flat in a 5 story building.

Andy stood in the car park unsure if he should just go up, even if she had texted the address to him he still didn't feel comfortable enough to just go up and knock on her door.
Finally he brought out his phone and called her. She picked on the first ring "hello?"
"hello, Helen... I'm downstairs"
"okay....come on up" damn....she had a voice that was like silk.
She came to the veranda and waved him up and he started up the stairs feeling stirrings in his chest that had been dead for two years.

She opened the gate and welcomed him in. Evening was fast approaching and the fluorescent lights in the house were on and illuminated the small apartment.

"this is a nice place you got here" he looked around slowly. "it's like you love the colour green" he commented.
The drapes, the couch and a section of the rug were all different shades of green.

"I love it... It started as a little girl, I was always in green house in all my schools...and I changed schools a lot cause we moved around, my dad was always getting transfered" she explained

"oh..." he finally dragged his eyes from the apartment and focused on the owner. She was still as beautiful as he remembered that morning, even more so. He was pleased to get a whiff of her perfume plus notice the light touch of make up she had done. For him.

They stood looking at each other and Andy couldn't help it "you're really beautiful"
She smiled "thank you..." she looked at him a second longer as though she was about to say something then she cleared her throat "ehem...okay the work.... Lets get to work.... I have a lot of it outlined but I'll need a research partner....a lot of events that happened over the years seemed to have originated from instructions in these letters... And there are some vague instructions which also link to some kind of terrible disaster in the past, although most of it is kind of vague.... We need to work on them all.... I have the outline already... " she stopped suddenly then smiled slightly flushed "sorry, I tend to ramble on when it comes to work... Would you like anything to drink?"

Andy smiled" no I'm good for now.... "

::::::::::::
His name was big foot and he was a foot soldier and like his name suggested he had big feet. Really large feet.
His instruction from Flacko Fikayo, a honourable356 member of the hole had been clear:

From First minister:
GUEST- Helen Koker
TICKET - Big bang
VENUE - 18a Kernel close, Liverpool road, Apapa
DATE - immediately
RSVP - Nissan sunny, dark green, plate number: Efk-42k3y


Big foot was an explosives expert. Bombs of any nature was a second nature to him and so when the ticket to heaven had been given as 'big bang' the job was his automatically. If it had been Maybe 'vip' or 'masked party' probably the shadow or any other contractor would have been given the job, although there was a certain rumor that the invisible shadow had met his end. Whatever, the hole had creative ways of getting the message across and 'big bang' was the ticket the that would get the reporter lady to heaven or hell, whichever one he didn't care. His job was to plant the bomb in her car.

A vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (vbied) is simply a car bomb. It was also one of his personal favourites. Gone are the days artists such as himself would have to go through the stress of breaking into the car and wiring the bomb to the ignition so that once the key was turned it was Bang! And yes he was an artist.... It required art and finesse to do what he did....when one miss step could end your life. If that wasn't art he didn't know what else was.

Now all he had to do was fix it magnetically to the underside of the car on the driver's side.

The fun part with this method was that it was all about pressure. The driver could open the car in such a way that the bomb would go off and she's blown to bits before even getting in, or she could bounce on the seat roughly and boom! Or even step on the brakes suddenly and it was goodbye....in other words the detonator was the driver herself and she wouldn't have any idea. Now that was hilarious to big foot. Very funny indeed.
The key to the detonation was in a small tube known as the tilt fuse. One end of the tube was filled with mercury while the other end was wired to the open circuit of the electrical firing system to the bomb. The idea was for the pressure and motion of the car to cause the mercury to flow to the other end and close of the circuit. And big foot was very confident in the pot holes of Lagos to cause a very bumpy ride. He was sure the bumpy terrain was going to cause the mercury to flow and complete the circuit, thus allowing the bomb to go off.

Big bang!

He fixed the magnetized device to the under of the car and the little red light came on.

To be continued...

Oh ye of little faith....well I don't know about you guys but over here in Wakanda it's just evening
KpakoGIN I see you bro!

okeyben10:
lol


take it as a challenge boss.

buh souloho19
whia is yu sef

In Lil Wayne's voice *sorry for the wait*
About scripting right now...would drop by evening fam

dedicated to
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"What do you mean when you came out he was gone? Who is he?" I asked frowning into the receiver

"I don't know, but I sent Kirsten and Clyde down after we got in and he was nowhere to be found" Tonye replied.

I rubbed my eyes tiredly "but everyone is okay..Utebo and the kids?"

"yes... They're inside with your mom and Olivia"

"Jeez...and you're telling me he was the same person who took you guys to the hospital earlier?"

"yes the night we wanted to make Buzz talk...Kirsten said he disappeared too" Tonye sounded worried

"hmm..." I scratched my head "the important thing is every one is safe... We're about boarding anytime soon so hopefully we'll be there in the next hour"

"Is Emma there...Olivia is awake and she was very happy when we told her that Emma had been found but I think she would feel better if she speaks to her"

"good idea" I looked at my daughter who was in my father's hands. Emma had refused to smile all through. She kept asking for her mother and didn't seem to believe me when I told her we were going to see Olivia.

I listened to the sound of Tonye's heels on the hospital tiles then the sound of the door opening and closing. The chatter of my nephews filled my ears, I heard my mother laugh. Thank God for that, then I was hearing the sweet voice of my wife.

"hello...Rex?"

"Oh...Olivia..."

"Oh Rex... Emma.."

"yes honey...Emma is right here... We're coming home.."

Her voice broke down with relief. "let me...let me speak to her"

I was already beside my dad and I crouched down to look Emma in the eyes. The sad eyes

"Hey Emma..mummy wants to speak to you...say hi to mummy...."

She took the phone from me slowly like she didn't believe me and I wondered what kind of father I was if I couldn't even make my daughter trust me fully.

"hello....mummy!"

Emma's voice, eyes, and mood brightened immediately and a bright smile was plastered on her face.

It felt good. What I had been trying to do for hours and Olivia had done it in a second.

"what was the earlier worried look about?" my father asked me while mother and daughter talked on the phone.

"it's Tonye....there's a mysterious driver who dropped them off and disappeared...but it's nothing...." at least I hoped and prayed it was.

"hey don't worry the earlier we touch down there, the better"

I nodded and we watched Emma smile and talk to her mother for some minutes "yes...daddy bought meat pie for me, but I was not hungry..... yes....yes...yaaaaay....ok I love you.....bye bye"

She handed the phone back to me and I noticed even Olivia's voice was different. There was more light, more life and more energy.

"we'll be there with you very soon, okay?"

"okay... Rex, I can't wait... Rex...."

"yes?"

"I love you"

This time I was the one to smile.


::::::::::
"his number is busy....I'm sure he's speaking to his wife right now... We'll just call him when we land" Bami announced as he tossed his phone on the table. He was tired and honestly just wanted to go home and sleep.

Andy however was having second thoughts. "we need to do something, we just endangered that reporter's life..."

"relax Andy... She's a reporter..its her job-"

"but you know how dangerous this is"

"jeez, calm down bro...this is the best way...the best way to expose these guys is with the truth...."

Andy still looked unconvinced so Bami got up and put his hand on his friend's shoulder."when did she say the story would be ready?"

"she said latest by next tomorrow morning"

"you see... Less than 48 hours...everything would work out bro"

"Yea... You're right..."

Bami nodded "don't tell me you've fallen for this reporter lady too"

"what...of course not! I just think we don't have the right to endanger anyone's life"

"okay bro.."Bami said unconvinced "look I gotta go home and catch some sleep...you should too" he tapped his friend reassuringly on the shoulder "the last couple of days have been crazy...but it's all over now...in 48 hours bro"

Andy remained sitting, not taking the cue to leave so Bami shrugged "I'm gone man, please lock up my office and hold the key"

Andy nodded absentmindedly.
He continued staring into space for some seconds then finally he brought out his cell phone and dialed a number.
The call went to waiting and he blushed slightly embarrassed and was about to end the call when her voice came up h-hello"

"hey...Helen...errm it's..."

"Andy...I know... I saved your number"

"errm well... I was thinking...if there's anything you still need clarification on...concerning the story that is...we could meet up later today.... (silence on her end) or not....i don't know I just wanna make sure..."

She laughed softly and interrupted him. Her laughter was like heaven
"Just give me a minute Andy, let me end the other call...I'll be right back"

Andy smiled and swiveled in Bami's chair. A minute later she was back on the line "okay...I'm currently drafting the content of the article from the names and trying to link some activities that happened in the past with the instructions in the letters...its a lot of work I tell you.."

"hey I can help.."

"really?"

"yea...i mean I was the one who dumped the work in your lap after all.."

"awww....You're awfully sweet....I'm sorry I called you an arrogant trigger happy murderer in my last article... I'll definitely rectify it in the next I promise"

Andy could feel his head literally expanding "oh no problem..I didn't mind the article actually.... Its your job" (That was a black lie)

"I actually do my best work at home.. Do you want to come over?"

:::::
After the call, miss Helen Coker got up and observed her apartment. The letters were scattered round the table, papers she had balled up and discarded cause she was not satisfied with the intro or the tone of the article littered the whole floor.
She was actually old fashioned. She only took to the word pad in her laptop when the whole story was outlined in her head and in a note book.

She began picking the papers but then her phone rang.

"hello Andy"

"who's Andy?".

"Oh Melvin it's you"

"of course it's me...give me something concrete... You can't just demand for a graphic without the editor's approval and without telling me what it's even about"

"Melvin I told you...its kind of a secret for now...just design it as I told you earlier... The outline of Nigeria'map in a very big hole, half in half out... Do it for me... And make it very graphical please"

The guy sulked over the line "I won't like to waste my time designing something and at the end it's not used"

"Melvin trust me...this is gonna be the biggest news ever, and your graphic illustration is going to be used in every TV talk show and by other newspapers for a very long time...so make it dope"

"okay you sold me...."


::::::::


Zebulum hints something is about to happen at the National Voice paper. A certain reporter H. Coker made a cryptic phone call to a colleague and made some references to the hole just minutes ago.



He read and reread the message again and sighed.
This was not happening. Not when the reigns had been handed down to him by sir Holly himself.
His face and fist contorted in so much anger he almost crushed his phone.

"hey honey...are you okay?"
His wife asked beside him.

"yes... I think it's the plane food..."

"oh... Well we're here already"

He looked out the window and true enough the driver had pulled over in front of the hospital.

"okay just a minute...my campaign manager is asking me something..."

His hands flew over his soft keys swiftly as he entered a message

Big bang!
No loose ends
Let me know immediately Flacko can get it done.
And don't message me anymore, call.
-First minister


He smiled at his wife."okay I feel better already, let's go"


:::::::::::

Time is very trikish and annoying. It flies when you're having fun, crawls when you're feeling bored and is never enough when you're doing something exciting. I remember those days, staring at the clock while my lesson teacher tried to pound improper fractions into my head and it would seem like the seconds were moving backwards. Same with now, a flight of 30-45 minutes at most seemed to be taking eternity.

Finally I shut my eyes and drifted off.


:::::::::::
Dagnet paced round her house to and fro with her phone in her hands. So many times she would dial the number but before it could ring she'll cut the call.
Finally after about an hour of indecisive pacing, she dialed the number and sat down, but she was too restless she stood up again and continued pacing.

"hello"
"hey... Sparrow"
"Mabel" he called her by her first name
"yes...its me...i didn't see you when I got back"
"Mabel...i have to go back"
"go back... To where?"
"back to China"
"what...when....why?"
"i lost sight of it all....i need to purge my soul... The blackness had almost eaten me up completely...I need to regain myself and restore my essence"
"I don't understand"
"I don't expect you to... You're a wonderful soul Mabel....goodbye"


::::::::::
The hospital was designed like a homecoming event. Somehow Utebo and Tonye had managed to add colorus to the room, ribbons and even balloons hung from the ceiling with a big sign that read WELCOME HOME EMMA!

It was almost like a party.

And I was shocked to see my in-laws: Utebo's husband Paul the recently promoted lt colonel was there, carrying his daughter Soma and smiling at me happily. My other sister Nyesom was in Italy with her husband and two kids so she wasn't there. Then there was my eldest sister Cynthia and her husband Samson Igyevure. He was a politician and actually contesting for a seat in the senate. He had used me as a campaign tool earlier in the year cause to be honest the people loved me and I was the ace up his sleeve and trust me I'll do anything for family. Victory was almost certain for him.

Now he enveloped me in a tight hug "it's so good to see you, younger brother.... When Utebo called Cynthia and told her what happened, I said we just have to be here...we just have to! It's a miracle.... Oh..dear Emma"

I hugged Paul, hugged Tonye, I couldn't even help it but I hugged Kirsten and Clyde as well, then I hugged my sisters, then hugged my sweet mother then finally I bent down over my wife. There were tears of joy in her eyes.
She was happy.
She looked beyond me at where my mother was carrying Emma and bouncing her. Emma was all smiles now. Especially seeing her mother and her best friend Soma.
Olivia's eyes refocused on me and she smiled.


To be continued

First off, thank you for the birthday wishes. I appreciate you all, Jah bless..
Secondly my apologies for the recent lack of updates however I'll like y'all to know I recently decided to 'try my luck' in a book pitch competition and was shortlisted among the finalists. The competition took place on Saturday and as God will have it I was among the three writers offered a publishing deal. So between rushing back to Lagos and out again and editing the manuscript I've not really been chanced as I will like but I'll update later today definitely.
And thank you for your words of encouragement and prayers cos even when you comment and say things like 'God bless you' I believe it works cos I always always say Amen.
One love fam, stay blessed

Thanks for your wishes fam.. I appreciate a lot!